Video: British Team Breaks Land Speed Record For Steam Car

After more than eight years of development, the British Steam Car Team has finally broken the world speed record for a steam-powered car--a record that has stood since 1906. The new record setting run was completed in the Mojave Desert in California this week, with the latest steam car achieving an average speed of 139.843 mph--easily smashing the previous record of 127 mph. Today a video of the feat has become available via the Telegraph. To have the record ratified by the FIA, the Hampshire-based team had to finish two runs in opposite directions, less than an hour apart. It reached a peak speed of 136.103 mph on the first run and 151.085 mph on the second. The layout of the steam car shares many characteristics with regular production vehicles. It’s a rear wheel powered, rear engine vehicle that has a traditional rack and pinion front wheel steering system. The braking system consists of four wheel discs (parachute assisted) and there is double wishbone independent suspension at all four corners. Power comes from a two stage steam turbine fed by a boiler running on LPG and developing a peak of 360 horsepower. The 13 inch diameter turbine drives an epicyclical gear train with a 4:1 ratio for a wheel speed of 3,000 rpm at 200 mph. The boiler section is in the center of the car directly behind the single seat cockpit. For space reasons, there are actually four separate boilers each capable of being run independently.

By chris #1, Posted: 5/1/2008

hrm.. steam TURBINE? wouldnt that be a different class than the current holder that is probably a steam piston design?

none the less, very cool idea. makes me wonder if steam power could actually be viable in warmer climates as an alternative fuel. i'm sure the greens would hate it because its burning a fuel AND producing steam which is far worse of a greenhouse gas than CO2. but steam condenses into rain.

regardless. very cool.
By MyWheelsOnWalls.com #2, Posted: 5/1/2008

I believe the rules state that steam is steam. I'm looking forward to being their this year as I had no idea they were going to go for the record this year.
By chris #3, Posted: 5/1/2008

mwow; understandable; steam is steam. I'm just saying, its apples and oranges. or like.... tangerines and oranges. or something like that.
By MyWheelsOnWalls.com #4, Posted: 5/1/2008

Chris- You are absolutely right and if the FIA governed such events steam would not be created equally.

If this case its the SCTA who are a great crowd and such racing is one of the last and only forms of motorsport where money and rules do not rule but the the racer and what he/she is trying to achieve does.

If you ever get the chance to check them out. There is a rookies guide to attending on this site http://www.saltflats.com/ or directly go here http://www.saltflats.com/Getting%20Started%20Guide.html

Once again a superb trip!!!
By chris #5, Posted: 5/1/2008

If only i wasn't a 2 day drive away from bonneville,...
By Raptor #6, Posted: 5/1/2008

Chris look at it in a bright way. It would take me 2 days to get there by plane(s). :)

One thing I do wish to see is that British supersonic jet car in action. They tested it in Bonnewille, right?
by J-Kwon #7, Posted: 12/12/2008

I congratulate their accomplishment. If this team manages to efficiently design mass producible vehicles, we may see a new kind of green car in the future.
by Mike #8, Posted: 12/13/2008

J-Kwon- well, it would be nothing new considering steam cars predate the internal combustion engine. The White Steam Car company and Stanley Steamer company both competed with other cars around the turn of the 20th century. Jay Leno has both. Cool stuff though.
by Chris #9, Posted: 12/13/2008

mike: right on the head there.. also.. electric cars predate gasoline as well. but it has to be said that as with electric, predating and being replaced by gasoline doesnt necessarily make it a worse technology than gasoline. working in the power generation industry.. you get a certain respect for steam. my life has come to depend on it.
by earthworm #10, Posted: 4/3/2009

Forget the damned "greenies".
They are obstructionists, much like our Republicans.
As an automotive mode of power, steam just takes up too much space, but in conjunction with the computer, does have merit..
I think its silly to try to race these vehicles.
Economical feasibility is the important thing.
By Alister #11, Posted: 8/26/2009

So in 103 years they have managed to increase the record by 12.843 mph wow!!!!!!
Congratulations anyway as I only my fellow former countrymen would be ecletic enough to do such an attempt.